EU Diplomat Kaja Kallas Urges Tougher Sanctions on Russia’s Shadow Fleet and Military Complex

Sanctions Extension Deadlocked Over Oligarch Exclusions

EU countries failed to reach a final deal late on Sept. 21 to renew sanctions on nearly 3,000 Russia-linked individuals and entities ahead of an expiration deadline. Negotiations stalled after France and Slovakia pushed to remove Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov from the EU blacklist, according to the Straits Times and the Kyiv Independent. Luxembourg subsequently insisted that Mikhail Fridman should also be delisted if Usmanov’s sanctions were lifted. While diplomats previously indicated a provisional compromise to drop the pair, Latvia lodged a last-minute objection that torpedoed the agreement. Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze wrote on X on Sept. 21 that the government’s stance is unwavering, stating that EU sanctions against Russia must be strengthened rather than weakened. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha thanked Braze on social media, praising Latvia for its principles and asserting that sustained pressure is essential to force an end to Russian aggression.

Rising Security Risks and Future Economic Measures

Kallas emphasized that Europe faces an escalating wave of sabotage attacks and airspace violations. She noted that Moscow is willing to take greater risks to weaken European resolve, meaning the bloc must impose greater economic costs in response. The EU is currently working on a new sanctions package targeting Russia’s military-industrial complex, according to verified reporting. Individual sanctions, which include travel bans and asset freezes, require unanimous backing from all 27 EU member states. A temporary seven-day extension adopted the previous week kept existing measures active only until Sept. 22, leaving negotiators scrambling in Brussels to finalize the broader renewal without letting the entire blacklist lapse. Separate sectoral sanctions against the Russian economy remain unaffected by the current dispute.